Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Anybody Owned a Dog That Never Barks?

82 replies

SakiSiam · 22/12/2020 21:45

We've had our boy for nearly two years now. He's getting on for 10. His background is very successful ex-racer, and then used for breeding. He is terrified of everything outside of his normal experiences, which makes life a bit difficult. He's our fourth rescue dog (all sight hounds), but before him we haven't had a dog that has never barked. He is the most gentle creature; even though he spends his days frightened, couldn't image him attacking anything.

Anybody else had this experience? We're doing all we can, but would love him to feel that our garden, as well as his house, is safe.

OP posts:
Recycledblonde · 22/12/2020 22:02

@bloodywhitecat

My sprocker doesn't bark (but the collie more than makes up for it!0
My springer/lab cross only ever barks if he’s stuck in the bathroom and then it sounds like he’s out of practice, my collie ,on the other hand, scares away any burglars/cats/ sparrows farting in a neighbouring county on a daily basis.
NoMeatIsHumane · 22/12/2020 22:05

Our 11yr old whippet never barks. Always looks guilty though.

PoopySalata · 22/12/2020 22:05

I have a Staffie who doesn't bark, to be honest she's so lazy she probably can't be bothered to make the effort. She enjoys snoring and sighing though.

Original poster
SakiSiam · 22/12/2020 22:25

Thanks so much for all these responses- really cheered me up when life is not great at the moment. Love that so many of us own daft dogs. Our twerp has spent the evening between the radiator and the couch, very cosy. He's constantly snorting to himself whilst sleeping.

OP posts:
Recycledblonde · 22/12/2020 22:30

My totally shameless non barker. He likes to let the air get to his bits.🙈

Anybody Owned a Dog That Never Barks?
Steamfan · 22/12/2020 22:36

Our first ex-racer only ever barked once, and that was when some oaf trod on her. as "they didn't see her" - she was a big, black dog, and was wearing a purple and gold coat (as part of an event we had been involved in) but apparently she was neither big enough nor bright enough! The one we have now has never barked - we've had her for 3 years now. You have to wonder what's happened to them, as last night she'd been bin dipping and I told her she was a bad dog - at the word bad she went to her bed and just lay there shaking. I've never seen a reaction like that before, and I was so sorry I'd told her off

moosemama · 22/12/2020 22:37

None of my dogs have ever barked around the home and two (a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and a Border Collie x Belgian Terv) literally never barked at all.

One of my Lurchers only barked if he saw off-lead dogs, because he was terrified of them. He went through a period of howling due to separation anxiety when he was a rescue pup, but never barked at home. He was very vocal in other ways though and loved to chat to us. The other has only ever barked a handful of times in his life, each time right at the top of our garden, which backs onto a park and late at night - so he could well have been defending the property I suppose. He does ‘Arooo’ by way of a big ‘Hello’ when we come home after being out a for a couple of hours though.

None of our dogs, including a German Shepherd and a Sheltie cross, we’ve never had a dog that barked at the doorbell or at people/dogs passing by, despite our living room overlooking the main path to the local park. We also have lots of squirrels in the tree at the end of our drive and the neighbours cat likes to walk along our window ledge, but those have always been met with astonished fascination and still no barking.

We are currently on a waiting list for a breed that is known to be a bit barky. It will be interesting to see whether we have just been lucky or it’s something to do with how we raise our pups. I’ve never consciously trained them not to bark, but I suppose I have never rewarded them if they ever did it as a pup either.

moosemama · 22/12/2020 22:40

Doh, should say ‘none of our dogs, including a German Shepherd and a Sheltie cross have ever barked at the doorbell...’

fourquenelles · 22/12/2020 22:43

One of my rescued Galgos has barked a handful of times in the 6 years I have had him. When he does bark (and it is only one bark) he has a very, very, very deep woof!

fourquenelles · 22/12/2020 22:47

Apparently greyhounds don't bark, so maybe some breeds just don't.

My other old Galgo never got that memo - he is a barker!

WhenPushComesToShove · 22/12/2020 22:51

Our dachshund rarely stops barking. She barks when an ant farts 🙄🥴

2bazookas · 22/12/2020 22:51

Our retired racing greyhound didn;t bark, lots of them dont. He only ever spoke to ask to go out for a pee, and it was always just one quiet "woof". He never howled whined or growled either.
It's common for RR greyhounds to have odd fears, because most of them have had no experience of domestic life outside a kennel or racetrack. Ours disliked noisy traffic, fireworks, lino floors and open tread stairs) but other wise was a totally laid back sweetnatured gentleman.

Leonberger · 22/12/2020 22:56

I have leonbergers and none of them bark.

One of them made a noise once and we all nearly jumped out of our skins wondering what it was GrinGrin

My German shepherd however came out of the womb barking and never stopped Hmm

PeppaPigMakesMeGrrrrr · 23/12/2020 06:53

You all sound like dream neighbours....I've been woken at 4.15 this morning by the dog next door. Usually around 5am so this is a new low.

Ellapaella · 23/12/2020 08:01

I have a Labrador that hardly ever barks. Only time she would ever bark is if she sensed a threat, so a very rare occurrence and she's never barked in the house or garden.

Santaisironingwrappingpaper · 23/12/2020 08:04

Husky owner here. Never barked in the house.. Ever. Is only ever vocal if we see another husky out walking. Not at other breeds of ddog whatsoever.. Lurchers speak on command only. Other ddog only at other ddogs, people, the door, cars..... Grin

saffire · 23/12/2020 08:07

@Plexie

Apparently greyhounds don't bark, so maybe some breeds just don't.

There was a news story years ago about a greyhound that died in police 'custody' because it didn't bark. They collected it from somewhere and took it to a police station, shut it in an outbuilding but forgot about it. The dog didn't bark in distress and it died before the police found it again.

Greyhounds do bark. My school was next to a racing track and the noise was horrendous.
MarinPrime · 23/12/2020 08:27

My lab didn't bark, he used to give a very quiet whimper when he needed a wee but otherwise was completely silent.
Then he was 3 we got a second dog and he quickly learnt to bark, very loudly. He mostly does it to tell the other dog off, if it goes on his bed, steals his ball etc.

dontdisturbmenow · 23/12/2020 08:51

I have a 10 months old 'yappy' dog. Probably one of the worse breed for it. Didn't want that breed for that reason.

He's never barked and the only thing he fears is other dogs barking! Won't even bark when someone knocks on the door and comes in. His dad was a typical Barker but his mum wasn't at all either. I have to say I'm really relieved!

Darklane · 23/12/2020 10:34

I had a Pekingese who from being a tiny puppy to five years old never barked. Then once, in the garden, he barked just one bark, frightened himself so much he never did it again.
All my other dogs have been terriers who delight in the sound of their own voice though I’ve only had the odd one that I’ve ever heard growl. Several of them can yodel good enough to audition for a remake of Sound of Music.

Original poster
SakiSiam · 23/12/2020 21:00

Aren't dogs brilliant? Saviours to a lot of people. @Darklane, I love the idea of your dog who only barked once and frightened himself so much he never did it again Grin. I'm sure our big boy would be exactly the same. Just out of curiosity I'd love to hear what his bark sounded like (would probably be really high-pitched even though he comes up to my waist and weighs 30 kg). He has been known to do an occasional sound which sounds like he's saying, 'Woe is me' Hmm.

OP posts:
Ulelia · 23/12/2020 21:14

Our three year old lab has barked exactly twice in her life. Both times at another dog who was barking a lot, and both times she spooked herself and immediately went to bed/the car to punish herself. No ill treatment ever or reason for it. But she loves to set her own rules. She won't go on the sofa or upstairs or in the kitchen. Her rules, not ours!

Figgyboa · 23/12/2020 21:45

My husky doesn't bark, very rarely howls either. On the other hand my whippet barks at everything

Original poster
SakiSiam · 23/12/2020 22:20

@Ulelia - your lab punishing herself Confused. It seems, judging by this thread, that dogs mentioned on here are treated very well. Thankfully there are so many kind owners.

OP posts:
Judashascomeintosomemoney · 23/12/2020 22:42

Apparently greyhounds don't bark
I just said this out loud to the family. They all peed themselves laughing. This one must be broken because she barks when she wakes up. She barks when she’s ready for her bed. She barks when she wants a wander round the garden, a wee, a poo, she barks about five times a day when she wants her dinner (fresh cooked beef and rice) and she barks three times a day when she decides it’s walkies time! Come to think of it, she sheds hair, doesn’t sleep all day and has never ever got on the sofa! Maybe she’s not a greyhound.........

Anybody Owned a Dog That Never Barks?
Swipe left for the next trending thread